Counter guard for banks



109- 5A! ED, DHNA FHU l Lu I nun AND RELATED DEVICES.

F. WATTELLS COUNTER GUARD FOR BANKS Filed May 15. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet).

attorney.

AND RELATED DEVICES.

Aug. 28, 1923. 1,466,217

F. WATTELLS COUNTER GUARD FOR BANKS Filed May 15, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3111x214! oz.-

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Patented Aug. 28, 1923.

UNITED STATES FRANK WATTELLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

. i COUNTER GUARD FOR BANKS.

' Application filed May 15,

T 0 all w ham it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK WATTnLLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Counter Guards for Banks of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to guards for counters in banks or similar institutions, and its object is to provide the same with a novel and improved device for protecting the person behind the counter in the event of an attempted hold up or robbery.

The invention also has for its object to provide a device of the kind stated which is under complete and immediate control of the person behind the counter, and which is efiicient and reliable in operation when the necessity for its use arises.

The objects stated are attained by means of a combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanylng drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the devlce showing the inoperative position thereof; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the operative position; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, a valve being also shown in section, and Fig. 4: is a plan view of the parts as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 5 denotes a fragment of a counter in a bank or similar institution. From this counter rises the usual grating or other open-work partition 6 which separates the patrons from the teller or other employe behind the counter, said partition having an opening 7 through which the business with the person behind the counter is transacted.

In order to protect the teller or other person behind the counter 5, the same is provided, at the site of the opening 7, with a number of guard plates which normally lie flush with the counter and are adapted to be placed in upright position when a hold-up or robbery is attempted, in which position they act to shield the person behind the counter. Three of these guard or shield plates are provided, they being denoted by the reference characters 8, 9 and 10, respectively, and they are hinged, as shown at 11, in a frame 12 set in an opening made in the counter. The plate 8 is hinged at its end near- 1922. Serial No. 561,229.

est the partition 6, and the plates 9 and 10 are positioned beneath this plate. The plate 8 is hinged to that portion of the frame 12 which is next and parallel to the partition 6, whereas the other plates are hinged to the sides of the frame to swing at right angles to the plate 8. It will therefore be seen that when the plates are swung to upstanding position, the plate 8 is located immediately to the rear of the partition 6, and the plates 9 and 10 extend outwardly of said plate and rearwardly therefrom, transversely of the counter, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. With the plates in this position the person behind the counter is shielded in front and at the sides upon entering the enclosure formed by the plates. The front plate 8 is provided with port holes 13 through which fire-arms may be stuck for use against the intruders.

' Figs. 1 and 4 show the plates 8, 9 and 10 down in inoperative position, the plate 8 being flush with the counter 5, and the plates 9 and 10 lying beneath said plate 8. To swing the plates to the upstanding and operative position hereinbefore described, and shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the following mechanism has been provided.

To a floor bracket 14 is pivoted, as shown at 14*, a cylinder 15 in which is slidably mounted a plunger 16 from which extends a rod 17 connected at its outer end to the under side of the plate 8 as shown at 18. Between the plungerand top of the cylinder a spring 19 is coiled around the plunger rod or stem 17, said spring acting to give the plunger and its rod a downward or return stroke after its upward or working stroke. The plunger is given its upward or working stroke by letting compressed air or other fluid-pressure into the cylinder be-- neath the plunger.

The plunger rod 17 passes loosely through a cross-bar 2O midway between the ends of the latter. This cross-bar has upwardly extending bends or branches 21 at its ends terminating at their extremities in lateral and outward bends 22 carrying rollers 23. Beneath the cross-bar 20, the rod 17 carries a fixed collar or abutment 24;.

Then the plates 8, 9 and 10 are down in inoperative position, the upper ends of the branches 21 are a short distance beneath the plates 9 and 10 and some distance inwardly of the hinges of said plates, as shown in Fig. 1. If now fluid-pressure is introduced into the cylinder 15, the plunger 16 rises, and through the rod 17 the plate 8 is swung to upright position. The abutment 24 1s beneath the cross-bar 20 and when the plunger 16 rises, the upward pressure of the abutment 24 against the cross bar 20 moves the latter upwardly, and when the upper ends of the branches 21 come against the under sides of the plates 9 and 10, said plates now also start to swing upwardly. Afte r the plates 9 and 10 have been swung in this manner until they are parallel to the bands 22, the rollers 23 come in contact wlth said plates and complete their movement to upright position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. All three plates are now upright and form the shield or enclosure for the person behind the counter. The arrangement of the parts 21 and 22 is such that the force tending to swing the plates 9 and 10 upwardly, is applied a sufiicient distance from the hinges of said plates to obtain an easy swing. Upon allowing the fluid pressure to exhaust from the cylinder 15, the spring 19, which was compressed when the plunger 16 made its working stroke, imparts a return or downward stroke to the plunger, whereupon the plates 8, 9 and 10 swing down to their normal inoperative position.

The means for controlling the admission and exhaust of the fluid-pressure may be a valve 25 controlled by a foot pedal 26. To one end of the valve is fitted a supply connection 27 leading from a suitable source of compressed air or other fluid-pressure, and to the other end of the valve is fitted a hose or other conduit 28 for carrying the fluid pressure to the cylinder. The valve 25 has its ports so arranged that the fluid-pressure is normally shut off from the cylinder, whereas, when the pedal 26 is depressed the admission of fluid-pressure to the cylinder takes place. The valve has an exhaust port 29 which establishes communication between the cylinder and the external atmosphere when the valve is closed. In order to prevent closing of the valve after the pedal 26 has been depressed to open the valve to admit fluid-pressure to the cylinder, a ratchet locking device 30 for the pedal has been provided. When this device is tripped, the pedal can be returned to shut off the flow of fluid-pressure to the cylinder, and to open the exhaust.

I claim:

1. A counter-guard comprising a hinged guard plate normally positioned horizontal with the counter, a pair of hinged guard plates normally positioned horizontally beneath the first-mentioned plate, said plates being movable to upright position, and their relative positions being such that when in upright position the second-mentioned plates extend laterally from the ends of the first mentioned plate to form'an enclosure having a front and side walls, and operating means for the plates.

2. A counter-guard comprising a hinged guard plate normally positioned horizontal with the counter, a pair of hinged guard plates normally positioned horizontally beneath the first-mentioned plate, said plates being movable to upright position, and their relative positions being such that when in upright position the second-mentioned plates extend laterally from the ends of the firstmentioned plate to form an enclosure having a front and side walls, and a fluid-pressure actuated plunger having. connections with the plates for operating the same.

3. A counter-guard comprising a hinged guard plate normally positioned horizontal with the counter, a pair of hinged guard plates normally positioned horizontally beneath the first-mentioned plate, said plates being movable to upright position, and their relative positions being such that when in upright position the second-mentioned plates extend laterally from the ends of the firstmentioned plate to form an enclosure having a front and side walls, a fluid-pressure cylinder, a valve controlling the admission to and the exhaust of fluid-pressure from said cylinder, and a plunger in the cylinder, said plunger having operative connections with the plates.

4. A counter-guard comprising a hinged guard plate normally positioned horizontal with the counter, a pair of hinged guard plates normally positioned horizontally beneath the first-mentioned plate, said plates being movable to upright position, and their relative positions being such that when in upright position the second-mentioned plates extend laterally from the ends of the first mentioned plate to form an enclosure having a front and side walls, a fluid-pressure cylinder, a valve controlling the admission to and the exhaust of fluid-pressure from said cylinder, a plunger in the cylinder, an operative connection between the plunger and the first mentioned plate, and operative connections between the plunger and the second mentioned plates operable after the operation of the first-mentioned plate.

5. A counter-guard comprising a hinged guard plate normally positioned horizontal with the counter, a pair of hinged guard plates normally positioned horizontally beneath the first-mentioned plate, said plates being movable to upright position, and their relative positions being such that when in upright position the second-mentioned plates extend laterally from the ends of the firstmentioned plate to form an enclosure having afront and side walls, a fluid-pressure cylinder, a valve controlling the admission to and the exhaust of fluid-pressure from said cylinder, a plunger in the cylinder, a rod extending from the plunger, and opera- IUU.

AND RELATED DEVICES.

ing a front and side walls, a fluid-pressure cylinder, a Valve controlling the admission to and the exhaust of fluid-pressure from said cylinder, a plunger in the cylinder, a rod extending from the plunger, and operatively connected to the first-mentioned plate, a cross-bar through which the plunger rod loosely passes, said cross-barhavingbranches engageable with the second-mentioned plates, and an abutment on the plunger rod engageable with the cross-bar, the branches of the cross-bar being normally spaced from the second-mentioned plates.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK WATTELLS. 

